July 30, 2019 at 01:20PM by CWC Mercury is only in retrograde for another couple of days, which, yay, but also does this mean I’m going to have to start taking responsibility for my own actions again? It’s far from the only astrologically significant event happening, however. Last night, dueling meteor showers were visible in much of the U.S., and they brought inspiration with them. “Astrologically, meteor showers can represent several things. First of all, they’re cosmic dust, debris. They look like beautiful light displays from our perspective, but in reality, they are a type of storm that happens from the breakup of a comet,” says intuitive astrologer and healer Rachel Lang. “To understand the astrological significance of a meteor shower, we need to understand the significance of a comet. Comets are made up of ice, dust, and gasses. If we read that symbolically, we might say they represent our frozen emotions and collective fears surfacing for us to see and heal. Anything we have been ignoring or suppressing can no longer be ignored. To the ancients, a comet represented change, like an eclipse.” Intense, but I’m into it. ad_intervals[‘411952_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘411952_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); She says that meteor showers symbolize beauty rising from ashes. “They represent the spiritual insights and wisdom gained from looking deep within the shadows of ourselves and our world. They also invite us to create new ideas and beliefs. They’re like little bursts of aha moments,” she explains.
Category: 2019 Health
Well+Good TALKS: We’re All Confused About Food—And Hungry For Some Real Answers
July 30, 2019 at 12:58PM by CWC We live in a world super-saturated with nutritional intel, buzzy new diets launching every week, and heaps of contradictory food science. Not to mention, that fewer people than ever actually cook. What in the wellness are we supposed to do? And eat? We’ll clarify all of this with industry experts across the healthy food space. They’ll help cut through the overwhelm, and provide simple, universal rules to live by—and enjoy food by. Now, and through the next big healthy food trends. EVENT DETAILS Wednesday, August 14, 2019 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Location: Made by We | 902 Broadway, New York, NY 10010 ad_intervals[‘411211_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘411211_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); THE PANEL Kate Spies | SVP of Content + Growth, Well+Good Kate leads Well+Good’s content and growth teams. She’s a big believer in combining art (gut editorial feels) and science (robust audience data points) to create killer content. Before joining Well+Good, Kate worked at a variety of global digital publishers and agencies specializing in content and distribution strategy to rapidly scale a number of brands. As a food lover with celiac, she’s no stranger to the food-confusion struggle. Kate studied journalism at the University of Technology, Sydney, and grew up as a water baby by the beach in Sydney’s southern suburbs. Katlin Smith | Founder + CEO, Simple Mills As the founder of Simple Mills, a Chicago-based company at the forefront of the whole-foods movement, Katlin is shaping
Finally, a dietitian answers *all* of our questions about keto—and if it’s worth the hype
July 30, 2019 at 12:35PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeuqSMsef20] Got questions about keto? This video has all the answers. If there’s anything more consistently controversial than a new Kardashian product launch, it’s the ketogenic diet. The trendy high-fat, low-carb diet blew up in 2018, and it continues to inform all kinds of new products (hello, MCT oil everything) while dominating the wellness conversation. However, for every doctor, biohacker, and celebrity who swears by the keto diet for healthy weight management, increased energy, and mental clarity, you’ll find an equal amount of skeptics (from acupuncturists to registered dietitians) who argue that the eating plan is overly restrictive without a ton of compelling research to support its supposed benefits. So… what is everyone freaking out over exactly? We asked our favorite nutrition expert, Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, to break it all down for us in the latest episode of You Versus Food. ad_intervals[‘411483_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘411483_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); “The purpose of this diet is to switch our bodies from using its preferred fuel source, carbohydrates, to using fat for energy,” says Beckerman. This is achieved by sticking to very precise macros (lots of fat, moderate amounts of protein, and minimal carbs), which kicks your body ketosis, a metabolic state where fats are broken down into compounds called ketones that can be used for energy. Advocates argue that this unique metabolic state is responsible for the eating plan’s benefits. As for whether the buzzy diet lives
Want your moisturizer to work better? Look for this one ingredient
July 30, 2019 at 11:45AM by CWC I can quote the famous supermodel Derek Zoolander on how wetness is the essence of beauty all day long, but what I’m really trying to get at is: We all need serious hydration. And I don’t have time to swipe on moisturizers that aren’t gonna give me that wetness. This is why I’m taking superstar dermatologist Dennis Gross, MD’s tip as actual beauty insider gold: In order to make your face moisturizer more effective, make sure it has algae in it. “Algae has a lot of water retention within the algae fibers, so when you use algae in skin-care products, it’s always going to be the driving force for hydration,” he tells me. “It’s another way to hold in hydration. If the science is right in the product, it’ll deliver hydration from the algae into the skin.” Dr. Gross actually prefers to combine it with moisturizing ingredient MVP hyaluronic acid in his formulations, but algae can work the same way with others, like glycerin for instance, too. ad_intervals[‘411817_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘411817_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); “I combine it with hyaluronic acid, since it’s like a sponge that holds 10000 times its weight in water, so algae is a great way to deliver the water that’s then retained by the hyaluronic acid,” says Dr. Gross. “I love algae because, though it’s not exactly a moisturizer, it prevents water loss,” says Shirley Chi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in California. “So
Despite all the evidence, it’s still hard to let go of the ‘period syncing’ myth
July 30, 2019 at 10:18AM by CWC It’s a well-known trope in pop culture that when you put a bunch of people with uteruses together in the same house, dorm, or office (or basically anywhere near each other) on a regular basis, their menstrual cycles will sync up like magic. Everyone suddenly starts PMS-ing at the same time, goes through unprecedented amounts of tampons, and eats up all the chocolate and ice cream in sight. Period syncing is such a cultural touchstone that it’s been referenced in shows like Sex and the City and Community, and was a plot point in movies like No Strings Attached. This isn’t just a TV thing: Texas-based OB/GYN Heather Bartos, MD, says a 1999 survey once found that “nearly 70 percent of women reported feeling their menstrual cycles sync up.” As someone who lived in a sorority house her junior year of college, I’m fairly confident that it happened to me, too. However, literally every menstrual health expert will tell you that period syncing is little more than an urban legend. Think of it as the Bigfoot of vaginas. But where did it come from…and why do we still believe? ad_intervals[‘411681_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘411681_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); The origins of period syncing First, a quick primer on what we mean when we actually talk about period syncing: “It doesn’t mean [that people’s menstrual cycles] line up exactly, like start at the exact same time, but become more closely
These healthy 2-ingredient snacks are anything but boring
July 30, 2019 at 08:39AM by CWC Snacks give me life at least five out of seven days each week, and I’m not entirely sure that I could remain standing after 3 p.m. without a few handfuls of something bite-size. And don’t even get me started on my fondness for snacking in bed, which is usually a big no-no but feels so good, like eating a stack of saltines with grape jelly while standing up in the kitchen reading a fashion magazine. In other words, snacks are non-negotiable for me. But I’ve found it wise to limit the amount of store-bought snacks I stock. This can be problematic, however, as it’s sometimes hard to make healthy easy snacks from scratch if you’re short on time. Typically what works best is simple (e.g., carrots and hummus or celery and peanut butter) but boring. In an effort to mix it up without adding more labor into my already stacked days, I scoured the recipe blogosphere for simple, healthy, and affordable between-meal (or before-bed, if you’re naughty) treats. ad_intervals[‘411427_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘411427_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); Trust me, your snack game is sad. Level up with 10 healthy easy snacks Photo: Sara Haas 1. Strawberry popcorn You can actually use any freeze-dried fruit for this super-simple recipe. If you’re in the mood for something more savory, try sprinkling nutritional yeast, dehydrated spinach, chili powder, or even taco seasoning onto your popped kernels instead. Photo: The Roasted Root 2.
Meticulous planner or spontaneous spirt? Here’s what you prefer, according to your Myers-Briggs type
July 30, 2019 at 07:55AM by CWC Making plans should be simple, right? And maybe in a perfect world, it would be. Be here in real life, schedules are hard to coordinate given that some people prefer to keep their options open and be spontaneous, while others feel most comfortable having a meticulously laid out schedule. Clearly, people have different planning preferences, and some even attach a ton of emotion to plans. For example, some may see it as disrespectful to break an existing plan or to never make an effort to cultivate one in advance. For others though, advance notice for every little thing can come across as controlling and stuffy. To better understand where you—and those you care about—fall on this continuum of planning preferences, look no further than your Myers-Briggs personality type. Because regardless of what your spontaneity stance and style actually is, it’s something that’s best to know in advance. (Don’t know what your MBTI is? Read this first!) ad_intervals[‘404869_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘404869_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Here’s your preference for making plans, based on your Myers-Briggs personality type. W+G Creative ISFJ ISFJs love to make plans, but they are also pretty flexible when unforeseen events pop up. As long as these last-minute additions and switches are optional, with no pressure to attend, they don’t bother you. What matters most isn’t whether the people you love and trust cancel plans every now and then, but that they have an overall pattern
The Capital One data breach affects 100 million Americans—here are 3 free ways to protect yourself, according to a financial wellness expert
July 30, 2019 at 07:54AM by CWC Before I even finished my caramel iced coffee this morning, I was on the phone with my dad about the recent Capital One data breach. He’s usually the first one I call in such situations. Oh, have you not heard of this? Capital One announced that 100 million people are affected by a recent hack. If you applied for a Capital One credit card between 2005 and early 2019, your credit scores, balances, ZIP codes, email addresses, dates of birth, self-reported income, and payments history might be exposed. Additionally, 140,000 customers had their social security numbers breached and another 80,000 had their bank account numbers hacked. Of course, my dad knew all this already. I contacting him routinely about my personal finances because I’m striving for financial wellness instead of just going, “Data breach? Oh, well.” I’m not personally affected by this latest hack, but Capital One is offering $125 or free credit monitoring for 10 years to anyone whose data was compromised. As for my own future fiscal responsibility, I decided there’s no time like the present to stop asking my dad for help, so I reached out to a true financial expert instead. ad_intervals[‘411675_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘411675_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Here’s how to stay on top of your financial wellness in case of a data breach 1. check your credit score regularly Routinely monitoring your credit score allows you to find out if something fishy
Skin-care formulators tell us the products to buy on the cheap and those worth splurging on
July 30, 2019 at 07:16AM by CWC For me, skin-care products are like Pokemon. I gotta catch ’em all. And if I don’t have every single buzzworthy active ingredient stocked in my beauty cabinet, I’m just not winning the game. Of course, as with buying up all of the Pokemon cards, collecting every skin-care ingredient can rack up the dollars and cents. You always want to make sure you’re grabbing up quality beauty products so that your skin can truly benefit from the skin-boosting ingredient, but… without breaking the bank. To decipher the shelves and see which you can be fine with buying on the cheap—and which you should splurge a little more on—I consulted the cosmetic chemists for some insider’s insight. Prepare yourself, because you’re about to be surprised at the good ingredients you can find at a reasonable price. ad_intervals[‘410793_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘410793_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); Save Sunscreen: We’ve been raving about drugstore beauty finds for, like, ever, but even cosmetic chemists rave about drugstore sunscreens (and other affordable options). “There are lots of good face sunscreens at an affordable price such as Australian Gold ($15), Elta MD ($25), Biore ($32), and La Roche Posay ($30),” says Fu. “We prefer an SPF 50 because it gives a solid amount of UV protection without too much of a tradeoff in texture. Just make sure you find a broad spectrum label so you’re getting protection from both UVA and UVB rays.” Niacinamide: Niacinamide, aka vitamin
A spontaneous motorcycle trip through Chile got me over a terrible breakup—and made me feel alive
July 30, 2019 at 05:00AM by CWC “But how many tattoos does he have?” This was my mom’s second question after I told her I was taking a four-day motorcycle trip through Chile on the back of a guy’s motorcycle. Her first question? “What the hell are you thinking?” It was December 24, 2017, and I was on month 11 of a yearlong trip around the world. A guy I kind of knew (as in, I was confident that he was not a serial killer, that things were fully platonic between us, and that, for what it’s worth, he had fewer tattoos than I do) offered me a seat on the back of his bike for a trip up the coast. To be clear, I had never been on a motorcycle before, nor did I have any interest in getting on one. The riskiness of the trip didn’t seem anything I needed to get anywhere near taking, but less than 24 hours after I received a “hey, want to come on a five-day motorcycle trip with me?” message on Facebook, I was holding on for dear life, cruising 65 miles an hour down the highway outside Santiago. ad_intervals[‘405466_div-gpt-ad-6934292-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘405466_div-gpt-ad-6934292-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-6934292-3’);}); } }, 100); In order to understand how and why I spontaneously wound up on the back of a guy’s bike in the middle of South America (on Christmas Eve, no less), it’s probably worth explaining my headspace at the time: I was